Courthouse to be used to teach pupils history

Callum Jones

A 17th century courthouse in Northampton is to be used as a classroom to teach school children about the history of law, crime and punishment in the town.

Sessions House, owned by Northamptonshire County Council, which was the administrative centre of the county for more than 300 years, is to be used to educate primary and secondary school pupils about the law and how to become responsible citizens.

The educational programme will be run by the National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL) which piloted the delivery of mock trials, debates and tours to students at Sessions House in 2011.

Tim Desmond, chief executive officer of the NCCL, said: “The National Centre for Citizenship and the law is delighted to be delivering courtroom- based education activities with the support of Northamptonshire County Council.

“We believe that children benefit from learning about the law from an early age and there is no better place to do so than within the historic surroundings of the Sessions House Courts.”

As part of the lessons in the courthouse, students will be able to take part in trials that include Victorian children or a modern-day trial involving a group of teenagers.

Bookings are now being taken by NCCL for schools to participate in learning programmes at the Sessions House. For more information on NCCL www.nccl.org.uk email info@nccl.org.uk call 0115 952 0555.